Ogun State is preparing to commence cargo operations at the Gateway International Airport within the next 30 to 45 days, with the first aircraft from Europe expected to land at the facility. Governor Dapo Abiodun disclosed this during an assessment of the adjacent Industrial Platform at the Remo Free Trade Zone, a Special Agro-Processing Zone designed to position Ogun as a leading processing and export hub.
The airport’s access road, connecting directly to the Sagamu–Benin Expressway, will soon open to the public. Governor Abiodun described it as critical infrastructure aligned with global standards, noting that it also traverses the processing zone, offering visibility into industrial activity. The project, originally introduced by the African Development Bank, has evolved into an integrated ecosystem where agricultural production and processing coexist within a shared facility to enhance efficiency and value addition.
The free trade zone will feature dedicated power supply, waste management systems, an independent administrative framework, and robust security architecture. Several processing companies have commenced construction, with the first expected to be commissioned within months. The governor revealed plans for what he described as the world’s largest cotton garment processing factory within the zone, a development projected to significantly boost employment and industrial activity.
Governor Abiodun credited President Bola Tinubu’s macroeconomic policies for enabling such transformative projects, emphasising that proper implementation creates employment, stimulates industrial growth, and translates into improved household prosperity. The collaboration with a firm experienced in similar projects across Benin Republic, Lomé, and Côte d’Ivoire, termed the Ogun State–Arise relationship, underpins the Industrial Platform’s development.
The commencement of cargo flights from Europe marks a significant milestone in Ogun’s ambition to become a logistics and processing gateway, leveraging its proximity to Lagos while developing independent infrastructure capable of attracting international trade and investment.
